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What you can earn as a new Apple Card customer when you spend $500 within your first 60 days of opening an account. You can deposit the bonus into your Apple Cash or Apple Card Savings account and spend it however you want. Hurry — the offer is available until Jan. 13.
20 years in the making: Doctors are using a new treatment called histotripsy to fight certain cancer cells. It works by sending ultrasound waves to a precise point, rupturing the cells and killing them instantly. The best part? There’s no incision required, and, unlike radiation, it doesn’t harm the surrounding tissue. The results are promising — two months after treatment, one man’s liver remains cancer-free.
🧬 Gene-ius: 23andMe is in freefall, and the genetic data of its 15 million customers might soon be up for grabs. Imagine insurers using your DNA to hike premiums or advertisers exploiting it for targeted ads without your consent. The kicker: It’s all legal. U.S. courts treat biological samples as corporate property, meaning companies can indeed sell them. If you haven’t already, delete your 23andMe account ASAP. Steps here.
Geek speak: HDMI 2.2 will debut at January’s tech fest, CES 2025. The new standard promises higher resolutions, refresh rates and transmission quality. Think 8K at 120 Hz and even 10K at higher frame rates. For reference, the current HDMI 2.1b standard only supports 8K at 60 Hz.
Never trust a cable that’s not yours: Hackers are leaving ordinary-looking charging cables lying around. Find one and plug it into a computer to charge your phone, and it’ll install malware or steal your data. These cables are fully functional, too. If you’re traveling, get a USB data blocker (4-pack for $10.99; be sure to click the $2 off coupon). It acts as a protective barrier between the cable and your devices.
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🏠 Housing scam spreading: Criminals are using AI to impersonate real estate agents and lenders in home sales. Chatbots create emails with no grammatical errors and a conversational tone that mimics professionals. Just ask Raegan Bartlo (paywall link) — she followed fake instructions and wired a $255,000 down payment straight to a fraudster. Verify everything.
💸 Another flop for Harry and Meghan: Their $100 million Netflix deal is on shaky ground. “Polo,” their new series focusing on the world of elite equestrian sports, has been ridiculed by critics as “unintentionally hilarious.” I tried to watch it, but it was so bad. The couple never did the animated series Netflix signed for, either. Meghan’s reputation as being extremely difficult to work with isn’t helping matters, and her cooking show is going up in smoke, too. PSA: Working for a living takes up your whole day.
It kills your brain cells: Glyphosate, the most used weed killer in the world, has been linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s. It’s in Roundup and so many other brands. A new study from Arizona State University (my alma mater!) says the chemical leads to long-term damage, even with brief exposures. The EPA’s stance? Low levels are safe.
Winning over Americans one check at a time: An Indiana mom raked in $95,000 in five months promoting fashion, beauty and kids’ products on TikTok. Unlike other social platforms with steeper entry requirements, TikTok Shop lets folks with just 1,000 followers start monetizing. Is it worth it for how much data they collect? Up to you. Here’s the signup link.
🎓 Hit or MIS: It’s a tough job market for computer science grads. The tech hiring boom has gone bust, with mass layoffs and fewer openings. Some opt for a Master of Management Information Systems (MIS) degree to ride out the downturn. These jobs pay roughly $112,000 a year for master’s grads, compared to $72,000 annually with only a bachelor’s degree. I’d rather see you get a cybersecurity or AI degree.
Attn., Windows Insiders: Microsoft’s Recall feature is a privacy nightmare. Even after a backlash forced changes, Recall still captures info like credit cards and Social Security numbers. That’s with the “sensitive info filter” on. Microsoft says they’re fixing it. Again.
